Julie K. Nelson

Judge Julie K. Nelson grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and attended the University of Florida where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in December of 1992. She then attended the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University where she was a member of the American Journal of Trial Advocacy and the Mock Trial Competition Team. After graduating in May of 1996, Judge Nelson began her career as an Assistant Public Defender where she litigated cases in County Court, Juvenile Court, Circuit Court and Repeat Offender Court. In January of 2000, she entered private practice and continued to specialize in criminal defense in state and federal court. She later became a partner with the firm of Stone, Taylor and Associates and remained there until she was asked to join the Office of the State Attorney as the Senior Division Chief of the Juvenile Division in January of 2009. Judge Nelson was promoted to the position of Director of County Court and Juvenile Court where she supervised 17 County Court Divisions and 3 Juvenile Divisions. In February of 2017, she became General Counsel of the Fourth Judicial Circuit and, in June of 2021, was appointed to be a County Court Judge in Duval County by Governor Ron DeSantis. Judge Nelson is currently assigned to Division O where she handles criminal and civil cases and is also appointed to handle circuit civil and juvenile cases.